1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for key entry on electronic devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to a glove-based key entry apparatus and method.
2. Description of the Related Art
The most common device used to enter data into an electronic device, such as a desktop computer, is a keyboard. One such type of keyboard is the QWERTY keyboard. However, the conventional QWERTY keyboard, used with a desktop computer, is large in size and has a rigid structure, therefore making the conventional QWERTY keyboard inconvenient to utilize with mobile or portable electronic devices.
Further, in the last couple of years, mobile electronic devices, such as mobile telephones, tablet computers, gaming devices, etc., have steadily replaced desktop computers as the preferred apparatus to perform functions traditionally done only by the desktop computer. This substitution of the desktop computer for portable electronic devices is mainly due to the fact that the portable electronic devices can now perform many if not all of the computing functions traditionally performed only by the desktop computer.
However, although mobile electronic devices, such as mobile telephones, tablet computers, gaming devices, etc., have touch screens, such as capacitive touch screens, which allow the user to use the touch screen as a keyboard for key entry, the screens of these portable electronic devices are of limited size. That is, the limited size of the screen of the portable electronic device makes it inconvenient for a user of the portable electronic device to use the screen as a keyboard for key entry.
Further, using a conventional QWERTY keyboard, such as those used for desktop computers, with the portable electronic device for key entry and carrying a conventional keyboard along with the mobile or portable electronic device is impractical due to the size and structure of the conventional QWERTY keyboard. Accordingly, several devices have been proposed to solve these problems.
One proposed key entry device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,304,840. The device consists of a data glove which is used to enable ten-finger typing with a virtual keyboard. The angle at which the user's finger bends at the proximal inter-phalangeal joint is used to decode a particular row of the keyboard. Each finger controls one or more columns and discrimination between columns operated by the same finger is achieved through an abduction/adduction sensor. U.S. Pat. No. 6,304,840 further discloses that the glove is fingerless and allows normal hand function in addition to virtual typing. However, since this device uses sensors to detect an angle at which the user's finger is bent, the device has difficulty distinguishing between different rows when the user's finger is not bent correctly or within a threshold angle range. Furthermore, the device does not provide a reliable method for distinguishing between two adjacent columns which are accessed by a same finger. For example, the device does not provide a reliable method for distinguishing between the columns accessed by the left index finger which includes the column consisting of items “4” “R” “F” and “V” and the column consisting of items “5” “T” “G” “B.”
Another proposed key entry device is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0036678. The device consists of two glove bodies with glove fingers, each of which is mounted with key buttons as a keyboard for an information system. In order to input data, the user utilizes one finger of one hand to strike on a particular key mounted on a glove finger of the other hand. A half number of the keys of a keyboard are mounted on the palm face of the glove fingers of one hand while other keys of the keyboard are mounted on the back face of the other hand. With such a keyboard and typing method, a user is able to type with ten fingers by mutually using fingers of each hand to type on the fingers of the other hand. However, this device is inconvenient to use since it has too many buttons on the gloves.
Accordingly, there is a need for a key entry apparatus and method that is convenient to use and that is portable so as to be easily adaptable for use in portable or mobile electronic devices.
The above information is presented as background information only to assist with an understanding of the present disclosure. No determination has been made and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the above might be applicable as prior art with regard to the present invention.